Screen filled display of digital video content

ABSTRACT

A dynamic region, such as subtitles, is detected in a stream of digital video, and displayed along with a static region also in the stream, such as a video region, so that nearly all of the total vertical display area of a monitor displaying the dynamic and static regions is filled. For example, when the dynamic region is detected, the vertical size of the static region is adjusted to allow the vertical display of the dynamic and static region on the monitor simultaneously, without extending beyond or reducing to less than the total vertical display size of the monitor. Also, when the dynamic region is not detected, the vertical height of the static region is adjusted to fill the total vertical display size. Moreover, iterative increase and decrease in the vertical sizes of the regions may allow for a more pleasant viewer experience.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Display of digital video.

2. Background

The advent of digital television (DTV) allows a viewer to see videocontent formatted for DTV, 16:9 TV screen, and/or a movie theater byfilling the entire active display area of a DTV screen or monitor. Forexample, a DTV program or movie as presented in a theater may be shownon a 16:9 TV screen and fill the entire vertical display space andhorizontal display space of that screen where the entire verticaldisplay space and the entire horizontal display space describe a totalactive display area for the screen. Thus, the screen's total activedisplay area is filled such that the screen does not display vertical orhorizontal portions that are blank, black, or without video content.Sections where regions of the screen that are blank, black, or withoutvideo content are typically described as “pillar-bars” in the case where4:3 content is viewed on a 16:9 display, and for the case where thevideo content is wider than the display, this is usually referred to asdisplaying the video content in a “letterbox” format (the horizontalbars resembling a “letter box”). Only video produced for analog TV andviewed on an analog TV will have a perfect match, most other cases willrequire “pillar bar”, “letter box”, cropping such as “Pan and scan”, orscaling which does not preserve the original content aspect ratio.

However, broadcast video (e.g., a TV program), which is typically shotin 4:3 ratio (1.33:1) along with “wide screen” movie theater content, isviewed on most 16:9 DTV devices by using “pillar-bars” or “letterbox”.For example, it is possible to adjust the display size of the activematerial or content to be displayed on the DTV, by manually adjustingthe vertical and/or horizontal display size menu options of a DTV, sothat the content will completely fill the vertical display space orhorizontal display space of the DTV screen.

Moreover, some TV programs, movies, digital video disc (DVD), anddigital TV source content (e.g., such as satellite broadcast) may be inratios other than 4:3, or 16:9. For example, in some cases, “standard”pillarbox or letterbox cropping (e.g., such as cropping to properly fitvideo in 4:3 ratio onto a 16:9 TV screen) may interfere with “active”material or content in the program or movie (e.g., such as by notdisplaying all of the active material or content of the program on themonitor because parts of the active material or content that has anaspect ratio other than 4:3 extend beyond the monitor edges).

In addition, where the active material or content has a certain verticaldisplay size during one period of a TV program or movie, and then has adifferent vertical display size, during another period of the TV show ormovie, display of the portions of the content in the larger verticalsize may not fit on the screen. Specifically, where the content excludessubtitles during some parts of a movie, but includes subtitles having avertical display size to be displayed below the video or “picture”portion (e.g., such as in a 2.2:1 ratio to be displayed below the videocontent), the subtitles may extend below or beyond the total verticaldisplay size of the screen, and thus not be viewable. This is becausecurrent DTV technology does not adjust the vertical display size of theactive material or content to fill the vertical display space of thescreen when the vertical display size of the active material or contentchanges. In other words, a user who sets up a DTV to fill an entire 16:9ratio screen with a 16:9 TV program or movie video or “picture” portion,may be unable to view subtitles that appear below the 16:9 program ormovie because the subtitles are below the active display area of thescreen and therefore are not displayed, without going into the DTVscreen menu and adjusting the vertical display size of the activematerial or content of the program or movie to fit within the screen. Asa result, to view the subtitles, it is possible to adjust the verticaldisplay size of the TV program or movie video or “picture” portion,using a DTV's menus, to be less than the total vertical display space ofthe screen, so that when the subtitles appear, they fit within the totalvertical display space of the screen. However, this adjustment willleave a “pillar-bar” or a rectangle below the movie active material orcontent in the region of the screen where the subtitles were displayedwhen the subtitles are not present. Thus the display size of the TVprogram or movie active material or content, without the subtitles, willhave a vertical display size less than the available vertical screensize when the subtitles are not present.

Moreover, the creator of a TV program or a theater movie may choose toformat in a ratio other than 4:3 or 16:9 (e.g., such as 2.66:1, 2.35:1,2.20:1, or some other ratio), or the TV program or movie may includemenus, photos, and special features (e.g., that have a ratio other than4:3 or 16:9). Thus, similarly to the description above for subtitles, auser or viewer having a monitor (e.g., such as a DTV with a 16:9 ratio)set up to fill the entire active area of a DTV screen with a TV programor movie may be unable to view portions, segments, menus, or photos orspecifications that extent beyond the total active display area of thescreen as originally set up on the DTV. Such situations necessitate setup of the DTV to shrink the display of the TV program or movie video or“picture” portion prior to or during viewing of the TV program or movie.For example, prior to or during viewing of the TV program or movie, theDTV may be set up with conservative or larger pillar-bars or letterboxso that the content that is extended beyond the total active displayarea of the monitor or screen during all of the movie, menus, photos,special features, and subtitles, can now be viewed. In this case, theactive material or “picture” content of the program or movie will besmaller than necessary.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various features, aspects and advantages will become more thoroughlyapparent from the following detailed description, the set of claims, andaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a monitor active display area displaying a static region.

FIG. 2 shows a monitor active display area displaying an active regionand a dynamic region.

FIG. 3 shows a monitor active display area displaying an active region,a dynamic region, and an unused vertical portion.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system for auto screen fill based oncontent of digital video.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a system for auto screen fill based oncontent of digital video.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a process for auto screen fill based oncontent of digital video.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Active material or content of digital video (e.g., such as coded orcompressed digital video data for display on a digital television(DTV)), digital television (TV) programs, and digital movie data may berecorded, broadcast, “streamed,” or otherwise provided for display on aDTV in various aspect ratios and may include subtitles, menus, photos,and special features such that the active material or content changes inhorizontal and/or vertical display size. Thus, to maximize thehorizontal and/or vertical display size of the active material orcontent to completely fill the horizontal and/or vertical display spaceof the DTV screen or monitor, it may be necessary to adjust thehorizontal and/or vertical display size menu of the DTV. Moreover, whenthe vertical display size of the active material or content of a singleTV program or movie changes during the TV or movie, such as to includeor exclude subtitles, such adjustment may also be necessary to fill thescreen.

One way to make such adjustment is by manually adjusting the displaysize of the DTV screen using the display size menu or control feature(e.g., such as by manipulating buttons on the DTV or a remote controltherefore). Thus, the display size may be set to a specific verticaldisplay size initially, such as prior to beginning the TV program ormovie, and may be changed whenever the vertical display size of theactive material or content increases or decreases, such as whensubtitles are present, or not present (e.g., such as by stopping theprogram or movie, if possible, or by adjusting the vertical display sizeduring the TV program or movie). In some cases, the user may repeatedlypull up the menu of the DTV to increase the vertical display size of theTV program or movie to fill the vertical display space of the screenwhen the subtitles are not present, and to reduce the vertical displaysize of the TV program or movie to display the subtitles when thesubtitles are present. However, it can be appreciated that this solutionis less than desirable, because such manual adjustment are inconvenient,time consuming, and may cause a viewer to miss content when the menu isdisplayed on the screen and the display of content cannot be halted,such as during a broadcast.

According to embodiments, the increase or decrease in the horizontaland/or vertical display size of the active material or content can bedetected and the horizontal and/or vertical size of the active materialor content can be adjusted automatically, during display of the activematerial or content, so that manual adjustment is not required. It canbe appreciated that display of the active material or content to “bestfit” or fill the horizontal and/or vertical display size of the screenmay require vertical and/or horizontal portions or sections of thescreen that are blank, black, or do not display active material orcontent. Such blank, black, or portions that do not display activematerial or content may be referred to as “pillar-bars” or may describea display screen that displays content in “letterbox” format.

Thus, a recording, broadcast, or stream of digital video active materialor content may include a static region (e.g., such as a video or“picture” region) designed into the digital video stream for displayingvideo or “picture” in a constant manner, such as in a vertical andhorizontal display space or region of the screen that does not changesize over time. In addition, the recording, broadcast or stream mayinclude a dynamic region (e.g., such as a region that extends in sizebeyond the vertical and horizontal display space of the static region)design into the digital video stream to display, text, subtitles,portions of menus, photos, and special features designed to selectivelyappear and disappear on the screen during display of the recording,broadcast or stream. As an example, the static region of a stream ofdigital video may be the large video portion of a movie or film, whilethe dynamic region may be subtitles that appear below the video portionat some times and are not present at other times of the movie. In otherwords, the static region may be “on” all of the time during a program orstream, while the dynamic region could be “on” or “off” during theprogram or stream.

Hence, a static region may be coded into a digital stream of video to bedisplayed in a specific region of the screen, while the dynamic regionis coded into the video to be displayed in another region of the screen,where the regions of the screen for the active and static region aredefined and coded into the video stream for playback. The combination ofthe static region and the dynamic region may be defined as the activematerial or content.

For instance, FIG. 1 shows a monitor or screen active display areadisplaying a static region. FIG. 1 shows regions 100 including a monitortotal active display area, area 105, having width W1 and height H1. Theterms “screen” and “monitor” are used herein interchangeably. As shownin FIG. 1, area 105 is indicated by a thicker bordered region in FIG. 1,and includes pillarboxed portion 115 having width W2 and height H2. Area105 may be an area of a DTV monitor or screen available for displayingdigital video active material or content. Width W2 may correspond to, beequal to, or be less than width W1. Height H2 may correspond to, beequal to, or be nearly equal to height H1. Area 105 also includespillar-bars 162 and 164 to either side of video pillarboxed portion 115.Pillar-bars 162 and 164 have height H1. Pillar-bars 162 and 164 maycombine to have a width that is equal to width W1 minus width W2. It iscontemplated that pillar-bar 162 may have a width that is equal to,greater than, or less than the width of pillar-bar 164.

FIG. 1 also shows static region 110 displayed in pillarboxed portion 115and dynamic region 120 displayed below pillarboxed portion 115. Staticregion 110 may have width W2 and height H2. Dynamic region 120 has widthW3 and height H3. Width W3 may be a width equal to, less than, orgreater than width W2, as described above. Similarly, height H3 may be aheight equal to or less than height H1, as described above.Specifically, where width W2 and height H2 have an aspect ratio of 4:3or 16:9, or another ratio as described above with respect to width W1and height H1, width W3 and height H3 may have an aspect ratio or 22:1.For instance, static region 110 may be video, images, content, or imageplanes of a DTV, television (TV) program, movie, theater presentation,satellite TV content, digital video disc (DVD), digital video input(DVI), S-video input, component video input (e.g., such as threecomponent video), digital cable content, motion picture experts group(MPEG) content, and/or Advanced Television System Committee (ATSC)content. Dynamic region 120 may represent subtitles, or a portion of amenu screen, photos, special features, or another portion or sectionthat exists at one period of time, but does not exist during anotherperiod of time of a television (TV) program, movie, theaterpresentation, satellite TV content, digital video disc (DVD), digitalvideo input (DVI), S-video input, component video input (e.g., such asthree component video), digital cable content, motion picture expertsgroup (MPEG) content, ATSC content, or other digital data for display ordigital video source or content.

It is contemplated that dynamic region 120 may or may not exist duringcertain periods of time of a stream of digital video data. For example,a stream of digital data, such as digital video data, including staticregion 110 (e.g., as coded or uncoded data) may at some point in timeinclude dynamic region 120, and at other points in time exclude dynamicregion 120. In one instance, a stream of digital video data includescoded or uncoded data to render or display static region 110 over aperiod of time, and coded or uncoded data to render or display dynamicregion 120 during only a portion of that period of time. Specifically,static region 110 may be video data of a TV program or movie, whiledynamic region 120 contains subtitles of the program or movie. As notedabove, it is also considered that dynamic region 120 may contain othermenus, photos, or special features of a TV program or movie. In such acase, both static region 110 and dynamic region 120 may be filled withthe menu, photo, or special feature display, such as where the menu,photo, or special feature display exceeds the size of the TV program ormovie displayed in static region 110 and associated with the menu,photos, or special effect feature.

It can be appreciated that in such situations, it is undesirable to havedynamic region 120 extend below area 105, because then it will not bedisplayed. For example, area 105 may be the total display area of avideo display, a monitor, or a television (TV), such as an eye piecedisplay, cell phone display, LCD display, television display or monitor,computer display or monitor, video display or monitor, big screendisplay, projection display or television, digital television (DTV),combined monitor display, arena display, large crowd event display, orvarious other monitor or display technologies. Thus, width W1 may be awidth between one-half inch and hundreds or thousands of inches. HeightH1 may have similar sizes described above with respect to width W1. Inaddition, W1:H1 may have a ratio or aspect ratio such as 4:3, 16:9,2.66:1, 2.35:1, 2.20:1, or other display or monitor aspect ratio.

FIG. 2 shows a monitor active display area displaying an active regionand a dynamic region. FIG. 2 shows regions 200 including area 105 havingstatic region 210 with height H22 and width W22. Width W22 maycorrespond to width W2, as described above. Height H22 may correspondto, be equal to, or be less than height H2, as described above.Moreover, width W22 and height H22 may have a ratio or aspect ratio asdescribed above with respect to width W2 and height H2.

Area 105 also includes dynamic region 220 having width W32 and heightH32. Width W32 may be equal to, less than, or greater than width W22.Similarly, height H32 may be less than or equal to height H22. Moreover,width W32 and height H32 may have an aspect ratio related to or equal tothe aspect ratio of width W22 and height H22 as described above withrespect to width W3, height H3, width W2, and height H2.

According to an embodiment, static region 210 may correspond to staticregion 110, and dynamic region 220 may correspond to dynamic region 120,and the contents thereof, as described above with respect to FIG. 1,where static region 210 and dynamic region 220 are (linearly) scaled tofit within vertical height H1 of area 105. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2,both static region 210 and dynamic region 220 (e.g., corresponding tocontent of static region 110 and dynamic region 120) may be displayed inarea 105 so that all of the graphics, video, and information containedin those regions is viewable to the viewer or user.

FIG. 2 also shows pillar-bars 262 and 264. Pillar-bars 262 and 264 maycorrespond to pillar-bars 162 and 164, respectively, as described above.It is to be appreciated that the height of pillar-bars 262 and 264 maybe equal to height H1. Similarly, the width of pillar-bar 262 pluspillar-bar 264 may be equal to width W1 less width W22. Moreover, sincewidth W32 may be greater than or less than width W22, pillar-bars 262and 264 may extend under static region 210 or may have a combined widthless than W1 minus width W22, where pillar-bars 262 and 264 are besideor adjacent to dynamic region 220.

Embodiments of the invention address determining when dynamic region 120exists within a stream of digital data, such as digital video data, sothat it is possible to display the dynamic region and static regiontogether within the total active display area of a monitor. For example,by detecting the existence of dynamic region 120 of FIG. 1, it ispossible to scale static region 110 to be static region 210 and scaledynamic region 120 to be static region 220 so that the content of thestatic region as well as the dynamic region will be displayed in area105, such as shown in FIG. 2.

Dynamic region 120 or 220 may be detected in coded or decoded data, suchas by a decoding process to determine active areas of a screen (e.g.,such as motion vectors, subtitled text or graphics, colors, etc.). Thus,when subtitles, an odd aspect ratio, or other content as described abovefor dynamic region 120 are used or are to appear, a detector candetermine that the subtitles, odd aspect ratio, or dynamic region 120exists. Subsequently, the detector can communicate the “active area”including the subtitles, odd aspect ratio, or dynamic region 120 intothe display pipeline (e.g., such as into the pipeline including framebuffers, scalers, blenders, and other components responsible to formatand/or scale data to fit in the active area of a screen), to ensure thatthe dynamic region as well as the static region is displayed for theuser to see.

It is noted that this will also require centering the combined displayof the static region and dynamic region so that they fill the verticalrange of height H1. For example, scaling static region 110 to the sizeof static region 210 would require moving the scaled static regionvertically up by a height of H32 divided by 2 to put the scaled staticregion at the position of static region 210 and leave height H32 belowstatic region 210 for display of dynamic region 220.

FIG. 3 shows a monitor active display area displaying an active region,a dynamic region, and an unused vertical portion. FIG. 3 shows regions300 including area 105 having static region 310 with height H23 andwidth W23. Width W23 may correspond to be less than, or be equal towidth W2 as described above. Height H23 may correspond to, be equal to,or be less than height H2, as described above. Moreover, width W23 andheight H23 may have a ratio or aspect ratio as described above withrespect to width W2 and height H2.

Area 105 also includes dynamic region 320 having width W33 and heightH33. Width W33 may be equal to, less than, or greater than width W23.Similarly, height H33 may be less than or equal to height H23. Moreover,width W33 and height H33 may have an aspect ratio related to or equal tothat described above with respect to FIG. 2 for width W32 and heightH32.

According to embodiments, static region 310 may correspond to staticregion 110 or 210, and dynamic region 320 may correspond to dynamicregion 120 or 220, and may have or display the contents thereof, asdescribed above with respect to FIG. 1, where static region 310 anddynamic region 320 are scaled to fit within a vertical height less thanheight H1 or the vertical height of area 105. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3,both static region 310 and dynamic region 320 may be displayed in area105 so that all the graphics, video, and information contained in thoseregions is viewable to the user or viewer, as well as the potentialblank, black, or unused monitor vertical height at portion 350 andportion 340.

For instance, portion 350 is shown having width W5 and height H5. WidthW5 may correspond to width W2, as described above. Height H5 maycorrespond to or be less than height H1 as described above. Similarly,FIG. 3 shows portion 340 having width W4 and height H4. Width W4 maycorrespond to width W2, as described above, and height H4 may correspondto or be less than height H1, as described above. Specifically, it canbe appreciated that height H5 plus height H4 may be equal to height H1less the sum of height H23 and height H33. It is also considered thatheight H5 may be less than, greater than, or equal to height H4.

In one instance, where the combined height of the dynamic region and/orstatic region of information being displayed on area 105 is less thanthe height of area 105, portion 350 and/or portion 340 are black screen,or blanks above and/or below the dynamic portion and/or static portiondisplayed. Understandably, where dynamic portion 320 does not exist, theblack or blank screen at the bottom or area 105 may include what isshown in FIG. 3 as dynamic region 320 (e.g., such as where portion 340includes dynamic region 320).

FIG. 3 also shows pillar-bars 362 and 364. Pillar-bars 362 and 364 maycorrespond to pillar-bars 162 and 164, respectively, as described above.It is also to be appreciated that the height of pillar-bars 362 and 364may be equal to height H1. Similarly, the width of pillar-bar 362 pluspillar-bar 364 may be equal to width W1 less width W23. In other words,pillar-bars 362 and 364, and portions 340 and 350 may define a blackscreen or blank region around information displayed in static region 310and dynamic region 320. Moreover, since width W33 may be greater than orless than width W23, pillar-bars 362 and 364 may extend under staticregion 310 or may have a combined width less than width W1 minus widthW23, where pillar-bars 362 and 364 are beside or adjacent to dynamicregion 320.

According to embodiments, a system may be used to minimize height H4 andheight H5 so that dynamic region 320 and/or static region 310 extends inheight to fill all of height H1. In addition, such a system may includea detector to detect whether or not dynamic region 320 exists. Whenregion 320 exists, the system can adjust height H23 plus height H33 toequal height H1. Alternatively, when dynamic region 320 does not exist,the system can adjust height H23 to equal height H1.

For instance, FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system for auto screen fillbased on content of digital video. FIG. 4 shows system 400 includingvideo branch 401 and graphics branch 402 having their output combined atblender 460 for outputting to a monitor. In video branch 401, videodecoder 410 receives coded video 404 and outputs decoded video 412, suchas image planes, to frame buffer 440. In turn, frame buffer 440 outputsto scaler 450, which provides input to blender 460.

In graphics branch 402, graphics engine 420 receives graphic text 406and outputs graphics data 422 to frame buffer 445. Frame buffer 445outputs to scaler 455 which outputs to blender 460. Blender 460 combinesthe buffered and scaled decoded video data with the buffered and scaledgraphics data. Blender 460 outputs to final frame buffer and scaler 470,which provides output to monitor 480, such as for display in area 105.

It may be appreciated that coded video 404 and graphic text 406 may bepart of the same digital data stream, video stream, high definition TVstream, digital video stream, and/or MPEG program or transport stream.Graphic text 406 and the display thereof shown on the monitor mayinclude sub-titles, text, symbols, and written language. Also, codedvideo 404 and the display on the monitor thereof may include imageplanes, moving pictures, movie images, a television show, and videoimages. Moreover, coded video 404 and graphic text 406 may be part of aninput to be displayed in area 105, where area 105 is a monitor ordisplay as described above with respect to FIG. 1.

Blender 460 combines the pre-scaled, buffered decoded video data withthe pre-scaled, buffered graphics data. Blender 460 outputs to finalframe buffer and scaler 470 which provides output to monitor 480, suchas for display in area 105.

According to embodiments, detector 430 is coupled to graphics engine 420to determine whether a dynamic region exists. For example, detector 430may detect whether or not graphic text 406 actually includes text ordata to be displayed on the monitor. It is considered that detector 430may be part of, coupled to, or separate from graphics engine 420. Forinstance, according to embodiments, detector 430 may monitor graphicdata 422 without being coupled to or part of graphics engine 420.

Detector 430 outputs detector information 435 to final frame buffer andscaler 470. Thus, final frame buffer and scaler 470 may adjust thevertical display size & offset of a static region of video from thevideo branch sufficiently to also display a dynamic region of graphicsdata within the vertical active display area of a monitor, during thetime that the dynamic region exists. Specifically, detector 430 detectswhether or not the dynamic region exists, and sends detector info 435 tofinal frame buffer and scaler 470, so that final frame buffer and scaler470 can adjust the vertical size of the video from the video branch andthe graphics from the graphics branch to fit within the vertical heightof the display monitor, such as for display in area 105.

Similarly, final frame buffer and scaler 470 may adjust the verticaldisplay size of the static video data from the video branch sufficientlyto display the video data within the vertical height of the monitor whenthe dynamic graphics data from the graphics branch does not exist.Specifically, detector 430 detects that graphics data or text does notexist and sends that information to final frame buffer and scaler 470via detector info 435, so that final frame buffer and scaler 470 canadjust the height of the static video data to fit within the displayheight of the monitor, such as for display in area 105.

Moreover, final frame buffer and scaler 470 may adjust the total heightof the static video and dynamic graphics, when the dynamic graphics isdetected, to fill the vertical height of the monitor completely, such asby minimizing the vertical portion of the monitor not displaying thevideo or graphics data. Likewise, when dynamic graphics data is notdetected, final frame buffer and scaler 470 may adjust the height ofstatic video data from the video branch to fill the entire verticalheight of the monitor to minimize any vertical portion of the monitornot displaying the static video data.

Referring to FIG. 3, when detector 430 detects dynamic graphics data,final frame buffer and scaler 470 may adjust the vertical display sizeof the static video data and dynamic graphics data so that height H23plus height H33 equals height H1, thus minimizing or removing portions340 and 350. Also, when detector 430 does not detect dynamic graphicsdata, final frame buffer and scaler 470 may adjust the height of thestatic video data such that height H23 is equal to height H1, thusminimizing or removing regions 340 and 350, as well as dynamic region320 (e.g., in this case, there is no data to fill dynamic region 320,therefore display of dynamic region 320 is not necessary).

Thus, detector 430 may look for and find, look for and not find, confirmthe existence of, confirm absence of, identify, or otherwise know thatgraphics text 406 does or does not include content to be displayed onthe monitor. It is also considered that detector 430 may similarlydetect a dynamic region, other than graphics text, such as menus,photos, and special features of coded or decoded digital video and/orgraphics input.

Furthermore, system 400 may output for display (e.g., such as fordisplay in area 105) the dynamic and static regions in verticalalignment, such as stacked, having the same vertical edges, or havingthe same vertical axis but not having the same width. Moreover, thedynamic region and static region be displayed not in vertical alignment,such as not by having the same vertical axis. Likewise, final framebuffer and scaler 470 may adjust the vertical and horizontal size of thestatic video data and dynamic graphics data proportionally for eachregion, or for both regions. In other words, referring to FIG. 2, finalframe buffer and scaler 470 may adjust height H22 in proportion withwidth W22 to keep the same aspect ratio after adjustment as prior toadjustment. Also, final frame buffer and scaler 470 may adjust withwidth W32 and height H32 proportionally, such as to keep the same aspectratio after adjustment as prior to adjustment. Furthermore, final framebuffer and scaler 470 may adjust the height, width, and/or the aspectratio of static region 210 equally or in proportion with an adjustmentto the height, width, and/or aspect ratio of dynamic portion 220.

For example, referring to FIG. 3, final frame buffer and scaler 470 maydetect unused vertical portion 340 and/or 350 where neither dynamicregion 320 nor static region 310 are being displayed, and remove, orminimize portions 340 and 350, by increasing the height or aspect ratioof static portion 310 and dynamic portion 320 so that height H23 plusheight H33 equals height H1. Likewise, when static 320 does not exist,final frame buffer and scaler 470 may adjust the aspect ratio or heightof static region 310 such that height H23 equals height H1. In otherwords, if a static region 310, with or without dynamic region 320 isdisplaying “letterboxed” active material or content, frame buffer andscaler 470 will detect black regions in the video above and below the“letterboxed” active material or content and remove them by adjustingthe vertical scaling.

It is also considered that the vertical size of the graphics data to bedisplayed from graphics text 406 (e.g., the data input to blender 460from the graphics branch) may vary in size over time. Thus, final framebuffer and scaler 470 may compensate for such a change in verticalheight of the graphics data over time and adjust the vertical height ofthe static region and dynamic region during those changes to minimizeany vertical portion of the active screen not displaying the static andvertical regions. For instance, referring to FIG. 2, if height H32 ofdynamic region 220 changes over time, final frame buffer and scaler 470may adjust height H22 and height H32 during those changes so that heightH22 plus height H32 equal height H1 regardless of the changes to heightH32.

For example, system 400 may represent an embodiment of a digital TV, apersonal computer with a DVD player or that receives MPEG (e.g., such asvia the Internet), a system having an set top box (STB) function, acable TV system, or an Advanced Television System Committee (ATSC)system. It is contemplated that system 400 may include a manual verticaland horizontal adjustment, such as one that can be adjusted by a user(e.g., such as by a menu screen on the monitor or manual adjustmentbuttons or knobs).

According to embodiments, it is also considered that a detector may beused to detect the existence of the dynamic region without a decoder,such as after the digital data or digital video data has been decoded.For example, FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a system for auto screen fillbased on content of digital video. FIG. 5 shows system 500 includingfinal frame buffer 570 coupled to scaler 575 and detector 530. Detector530 is coupled to final frame buffer 570 via detection line 532 andprovides detector information 534 to scaler 575.

Thus, system 500 may receive input from a decoder and output from scaler575 output to monitor 580. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, final framebuffer 570 receives decoded video and graphics input 512 from decoder510 which is external to system 500. For example, system 500 may be asystem that receives video from a DVD player, an HDMI, a DVI, orcomponent video.

According to embodiments, detector 530 detects whether a dynamic regionexists by monitoring final frame buffer 570 via detection line 532 andsends information related to that detection to scaler 575 via detectorinfo 534. For instance, detector 530 may monitor decoded graphics input512 to determine whether a dynamic region exists by monitoring theheight or vertical component of decoded graphics info 512, data withinfinal frame buffer 570, or data output by final frame buffer 570 toscaler 575 for changes. For instance, when the vertical size of thedecoded input, data within frame buffer 570, or data output by framebuffer 570 is larger than the vertical size expected for the staticregion (e.g., such as for display in area 105), detector 530 detectsthat the dynamic region exists. It is also considered that detector 530can monitor for the dynamic region without knowing an expected verticalheight for the static region simply by detecting the occurrence ofincreases and decreases in the total height, and or detecting“letterbox” regions of black above and below the active material orcontent, regardless of whether the vertical height changes of the datapassing through final frame buffer 570 and indicating to scaler 575 whenthere is an increase or decrease in the total vertical height of thedata passing through the frame buffer. Moreover, detector 530 canmonitor by detecting “letterbox” regions of black above and below theactive material or content without knowing an expected vertical heightfor the static and/or dynamic region (e.g., such as regardless ofwhether the vertical height of the data passing through final framebuffer 570 changes, and indicating to scaler 575 when the total verticalheight of the data passing through final frame buffer 570 is too largeor too small in height to fill the total vertical size of display area105.

When detector 530 detects dynamic region, it sends detector information534 to scaler 575 to scale output to monitor 580, and vertical offsetinformation to Final Frame Buffer 570, similar to that described abovewith respect to final frame buffer and scaler 470 scaling output tomonitor 480, for FIG. 4. Thus, detector 530 may monitor decoded staticvideo data and decoded dynamic graphics data, or other decoded data,such as described above with respect to detector 430, but in decodedform. Likewise, scaler 575 may scale dynamic regions and/or staticregions, as described above with respect to final frame buffer andscaler 470, for providing an output to a monitor, to fill the completevertical active area of the monitor (e.g., such as for display in area105), as described above with respect to the output of final framebuffer and scaler 470.

Hence, according to embodiments, the display pipelines shown in FIGS. 4and 5 may offset the active area and/or video content (e.g., such as astatic region and/or dynamic region) vertically upwards to fill thevertical height of the screen (e.g., such as height H1) once thesubtitles, odd aspect ratio, or dynamic region is detected, so that theactive area “best fits” or fills the active display area of the monitor.

It is contemplated that detector 430, buffer and scaler 470, detector530, and/or scaler 575 may be embodied in software instruction or in amachine accessible medium containing such instructions. Also, detector430, buffer and scaler 470, detector 530, and/or scaler 575 may be partof a DTV or computer system having a processor and a memory to storeinstructions, such as those described above, to be executed by theprocessor.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a process for auto screen fill based oncontent of digital video. At block 610, digital video data is decoded.For example, block 610 may include decoding a coded version of a streamof digital video data to be displayed in area 105, having static region110, and/or having dynamic region 120, such as having data as describedabove with respect to FIG. 1. Moreover, block 610 may correspond todecoding as described above with respect to video decoder 410, graphicsengine 420, and/or decoder 510.

At decision block 620, it is determined whether a dynamic region existsin the digital data. For example, block 620 may include detecting adynamic region, detecting graphics data, detecting sub-titles, detectingan odd aspect ratio, detecting a menu, detecting photos, and/ordetecting special features, as described herein. Specifically, block 620may correspond to monitoring a coded or decoded channel or graphicsstream of data to confirm existence of graphics data to be displayed ona monitor. It is contemplated that block 620 may correspond todescriptions above with respect to graphics engine 420, decoder 430,frame buffer 570, detection line 532, and detector 530.

If at decision block 620 a dynamic region does not exist, the processproceeds to block 630, where the static region is scaled to minimize thenon-displaying vertical portion of the monitor. For example, block 630may include adjusting the vertical display size of the static regionsufficiently to include the static region on the monitor whileminimizing vertical portions of the monitor not displaying the staticregion. Also, block 630 may include detecting unused vertical portionsof the monitor to affect their removal or reduction in vertical size.Block 630 may correspond to descriptions above with respect to staticregions 110, 210, 310; final frame buffer and scaler 470; and scaler575.

If at block 620 a dynamic region does not exist, the process continuesto block 640. At block 640, the dynamic region is combined with thestatic region to form a combined region or frame of data. For example,block 640 may include combining the dynamic region and static region tobe or not to be vertically aligned, to have or not to have the samewidth, by scaling or not by scaling those regions proportionally.

Block 640 may correspond to the descriptions above with respect tostatic region 210 and dynamic region 220, static region 310 and dynamicregion 320, blender 460, final frame buffer and scaler 470, decodedvideo and graphics input 512, final frame buffer 570, and scaler 575.

According to embodiments, block 640 may occur at different locations inthe flow of FIG. 6. For instance, block 640 may occur prior to block 610and prior to decision block 620. Specifically, block 640 may occur priorto block 620, such as to correspond with the block diagram shown in FIG.5, having system 500.

At block 650, the combined frame or regions are scaled to minimize thenon-displaying vertical portion of the monitor. For example, at block650, the vertical display size of the static region and the dynamicregion may be adjusted sufficiently to display the vertical height ofthe static region and dynamic region in the monitor while minimizingvertical portions of the monitor not displaying the static or dynamicregions. Thus, block 650 may include detecting unused vertical portionsof the monitor and increasing the size of the static region and/ordynamic region to remove or minimize the unused vertical portions of themonitor. Block 650 may correspond to description above with respect toblock 630, regions 110 and 120, regions 210 and 220, regions 310 and320, and final frame buffer and scaler 470.

After block 630 or block 650, the process continues to block 660. Atblock 660, the static region or the combined frame or regions aredisplayed on a monitor. For example, block 660 may correspond todisplaying the static region to minimize the non-displaying verticalportion of the monitor as scaled at block 630. Likewise, block 660 maycorrespond to displaying the dynamic region and the static region tominimize the non-displaying vertical portion of the monitor, as scaledat block 650. Block 650 may correspond to descriptions above withrespect to final frame buffer and scaler 470, output to monitor 480,scaler 575, and output to monitor 580.

Also, according to embodiments, offsetting or moving the static regionand the dynamic region, adjusting the vertical display size of thestatic region and dynamic region, adjusting the aspect ratio of thestatic region and the dynamic region, minimizing the unused verticalportion of the monitor, descriptions mentioned with respect to block 630or block 650, or descriptions related to final frame buffer and scaler470 or scaler 575 may include changing those locations, sizes, offsets,and minimizations in a phased, gradual, or iterative process withrespect to time. For example, the regions may be moved; scaled;increased or decreased in height and/or width; increased or decreased inaspect ratio; or scaled in a linear or non-linear increasing ordecreasing progression over time. Suitable progressions include moving;scaling; increasing or decreasing in height and/or width; and changing aheight or aspect ratio in a range starting from a zero change andprogressing to the appropriate change to fill the vertical activedisplay screen or minimize the unused screen space over a period oftime.

In other words, the adjustments described herein with respect to regions110, 120, 210, 220, 310, 320, 340, and 350; descriptions related tofinal frame buffer and scaler 470 and scaler 575; and processesdescribed with respect to block 630 and 650 may dynamically adjust theframe, region, or data to be displayed by looking ahead in the stream orconsidering the data prior to output to the display, and changing thedata being output to the monitor in a progression of iterations untilthe desired output is sent to the monitor.

In such a process, the viewer may see the vertical height of the staticregion and/or dynamic region to gradually increase or decrease over timewhen detection of the dynamic region terminates or is initiated, so thatthere is no a sudden jump or jerk in the image viewed. For example, upondetection of dynamic region 220, buffer and scaler 470 or scaler 575 maygradually decrease the height of region 210 and gradually increase theheight of region 220 by the same height, instead of suddenly changingthe height of the static region from H1 to H22 and suddenly displayingregion 220 in the next display frame after display region 220 did notexist in the prior frame. Instead, the height of the static region maybe changed during a number of iterations with respect to time in a rangeof between two and a hundred iterations where each iteration increasesor decreases the height of the static region by H32 divided by thenumber of iterations. Similarly, upon non-detection of dynamic region220, buffer and scaler 470 or scaler 575 may gradually increase theheight of dynamic region 220 by H32 over a number of iterations in therange described above, while decreasing the height of static region 210by a corresponding amount of height, instead of suddenly deletingdisplay of region 220.

Of course, where dynamic region 220 displays sub-titles, iterativelyadding dynamic region 220 would be quick enough to display the text ofthe sub-titles with sufficient time for the viewer to read them.Similarly, iterative removal or deletion of dynamic region 220 wouldoccur slow enough that to allow a viewer to complete reading subtitlesbefore dynamic region 220 was deleted. Thus, addition or removal ofdynamic region 220 from area 105 may be a more appealing and lessshocking experience for the viewer.

It can be appreciated that the concepts, processes, and devicesdescribed above may be applied to “best fit” or fill the totalhorizontal size of a display monitor or screen with active material orcontent. For example, regions 100, 200, and 300 may be rotated ninetydegrees around an axis perpendicular to the view shown in FIG. 1-3, andthe same concepts applied as described above with respect to FIGS. 1-6.Specifically, in such a case, portion 115 may be a letterbox portion,and pillar-bars 162 and 164 may be below and above letterbox portion115.

In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments are described.However, various modifications and changes may be made thereto withoutdeparting from the broader spirit and scope of embodiments as set forthin the claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to beregarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

1. A method comprising: detecting in a stream of digital video data tobe displayed over a period of time, a dynamic region of the stream to bedisplayed in a first portion of a monitor during a selected sub-periodof the period of time but not during another different selectedsub-period of the period of time, the stream including a static regionto be displayed in a different second portion of the monitor.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the monitor is invertical alignment with the second portion of the monitor.
 3. The methodof claim 1, wherein detecting includes decoding a coded version of thestream of digital video data.
 4. The method of claim 1, whereindetecting includes detecting decoded graphics data from a coded versionof the stream of digital video data.
 5. The method of claim 1, whereindetecting a dynamic region includes monitoring a decoded graphics streamchannel and finding a stream of data on the channel having decoded textdata content.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic region is anactive display area of text graphics, the static region is an activedisplay area of video, and the text graphics is to be displayed on themonitor and under the video.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein detectingincludes monitoring a vertical size of the dynamic region and a verticalsize of the static region.
 8. A method comprising: adjusting a displaysize of a static region of the stream of digital video data to bevertically displayed on the monitor, if a dynamic region of the streamof digital video data to be vertically displayed on a monitor isdetected; displaying the dynamic region and the static region on themonitor, if the dynamic region is detected; wherein adjusting includesminimizing a portion of the monitor not displaying the dynamic region orthe static region.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:detecting an unused vertical portion of the monitor where the dynamicregion and static region are not displayed.
 10. The method of claim 8,wherein the dynamic region comprises: a first horizontal and verticalregion and the static region comprises a second horizontal and verticalregion, and adjusting includes proportionally scaling the first verticaland horizontal regions, and proportionally scaling the second verticaland horizontal regions.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein the dynamicregion includes decoded graphics data of text to be displayed from acoded version of the stream of digital video data, and the static regionincludes decoded video data to be displayed from the coded version. 12.The method of claim 8, wherein displaying includes displaying thedynamic region and the static region in a vertical alignment on themonitor.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein the static region has afirst vertical display size within an active vertical display size ofthe monitor when the first region is not detected, the static region hasa second vertical display size within the active vertical display sizewhen the dynamic region is detected, and the dynamic region has a thirdvertical display size within the active vertical display size of themonitor, and the second vertical display size plus the third verticaldisplay size equal the first vertical display size.
 14. The method ofclaim 8, wherein adjusting includes offsetting the static regionvertically upwards by a distance equal to a vertical size of the dynamicregion.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein offsetting includesoffsetting by a linearly increasing progression of vertical distancestarting at zero and progressing to the vertical size of the dynamicregion over a period of time.
 16. A system comprising: a processor; amemory to store an application to be executed by the processor; and adevice including: a detector to detect a dynamic region of a stream ofdigital video data to be displayed in a first portion of a monitor, thestream including a static region to be displayed in a second portion ofthe monitor; a frame buffer to: (a) adjust a vertical display size ofthe second portion sufficiently to include display of the dynamic andstatic regions on the monitor in vertical alignment, and minimize avertical portion of the monitor not displaying the dynamic or staticregions, while the dynamic region is detected, and (b) adjust a verticaldisplay size of the second portion sufficiently to include display ofthe static region on the monitor, and minimize a vertical portion of themonitor not displaying the static region, while the dynamic region isnot detected.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the frame bufferorients the first and second portion for display on the monitor in avertical alignment.
 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the frame bufferis to detect an unused vertical portion of the monitor where the firstand second portions are not displayed, while the dynamic region isdetected, and to detect an unused vertical portion of the monitor wherethe second portion is not displayed, while the dynamic region is notdetected.
 19. The system of claim 16, wherein the detector includes oneof a graphics engine to receive coded text data of a coded version ofthe stream of digital video data, and a frame buffer to monitor avertical height to be displayed on the monitor of the first portion plusa vertical height to be displayed on the monitor of the second portion.20. The system of claim 16, wherein the dynamic region includes decodedgraphics data of text to be displayed from a coded version of the streamof digital video data, and the static region includes decoded video datato be displayed from the coded version.
 21. A machine accessible mediumcontaining instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to: detectin a stream of digital data to be displayed over a period of time, aregion of graphics information below a region of video during a selectedsub-period of the period of time but not during another differentselected sub-period of the period of time wherein the stream of digitaldata includes video data to display the region of video and the data todisplay a region of graphics information, and.
 22. (canceled)
 23. Themachine accessible medium of claim 21, further comprising instructionsto cause a machine to: scale the region of graphics information and thevideo data to display the region of graphics information below the videodata within a maximum vertical display size of a monitor to display theregion of graphics information and the video data.
 24. The machineaccessible medium of claim 23, wherein the maximum vertical displaysized is selected by a user.
 25. The machine accessible medium of claim21, wherein the data to display a region of graphics informationincludes one of subtitles, text, symbols, and written language; and thevideo data includes one of a plurality of image planes, a plurality ofmoving pictures, a movie, a television show, and video images.
 26. Themachine accessible medium of claim 21, wherein the data to display aregion of graphics information includes a vertical component thatchanges with time, and the video data includes a vertical component thatis constant over time.
 27. The machine accessible medium of claim 21,wherein the stream of digital data is coded data, the data to display aregion of graphics information may or may not exist as a first codedpart of the stream and has a vertical component that changes with time,and the stream of digital data continually exists as a second coded partof the stream and includes a vertical component that is constant overtime.
 28. The machine accessible medium of claim 21, wherein detectingincludes one of: (a) decoding coded graphics information of the stream,and (b) determining that a vertical size of a decoded framed image to beoutput is larger than when the graphics part does not exist.